Amalgamator



July 19, 1938. V w om. 2,124,205

AMALGAMAI'OR v Filed Feb. 16, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet l ale. T11

INVENTOR.

'A/wem M/Vw/e I 1 ATTORNEYS.

H. w. MOIR July 19, 1938.

3 Sheets-Sheet 24 ill MMW W 2 J II AQ/ INVENTOR;

/////?/?Y Wflane ATTORNEYS.

Patented July 19, 1938 AMALGAMATOR Harry W. Moir, Seattle, Wash.,assignor to. Robert Gillespie, Seattle, Wash.

Application February 16, 1937, Serial No. 125,983

12 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in amalgamators for the recoveryof free gold 'from ore or'sand, and it has for its principal objects toprovide a mechanical, rotary amalgamator for I the above purpose, ofrelatively inexpensive construction; of a kind that is readily adaptedto present-day milling or sluicing operations; which requires littlepower for its operation, and is capable of recovering a much greaterpercentage of gold than has been possible by the use of amalgamators ofthe various kinds heretofore commonly used.

More specifically stated, the present invention resides in the provisionof a rotary amalgamator including a housing designed for the passagetherethrough of pulverized material from the mill discharge or the flowfrom the sluicing opera tion, and wherein there is contained a pluralityof quickened plates that are associated with means in the housing forcausing all solid matter to contact with the plates in its passage,thereby efiecting a cleaning action of the pulp upon the plates bydirect impact, and also taking advantage. of the abrasive effect of thematerial whereby oxidized coatings are removed from free gold,

making the gold particles amenableto amalgamation.

Explanatory to the advantages of the present device, it may be herestated that the recovery of metallic gold by amalgamation has beenpractised for many years. The affinity of quicksilver for gold andsilver in theirmetallic'states has long been well known, and the methodof recovering gold most widely used heretofore has consisted in passinggold bearing sands or ground over silvered copper plates whose surfaceshave been treated with mercury. Although this old method of goldrecovery is still widely used, it is 6. being gradually discarded infavor of more modern methods, since it is now well known that only afair percentage of gold in any material is recovered thereby. The lowpercentage of recovery is the result of many causes, among them being atoo rapid flow of water to allow the fine gold to settle and theaccumulation of a metallic film on the surface of the mercury from thebase metals in the material which prevents either free orpre-amalgamated gold from contacting the plates, thus causingconsiderable loss in values.

Many mechanical devices have been developed in recent years for therecovery of fine gold by amalgamation, but the problem ofbringingfinelmaterial into contact with quickened'plateslor (Cl.209-j54) free mercury without fouling has always remained.

In view of'the above mentioned disadvantage of amalgamators asheretofore used, it has been the object of this invention to provide amachine whereby those disadvantages are minimum.

In'accomplishing these objects,.I have provided the improved details ofconstruction, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, wherein- Fig/1 is a perspective view of themachine,

illustrating the removal of the discharge end spout and a partialWithdrawal of the plates.

Fig. 2 is a partial elevation, showing the driving gears.

reduced to a -Fig. 3 is a detail in perspective of a part of one of theplates.

Fig, 4 is a central, longitudinal section of the machine.

Fig. 5 is an end elevationshowing the driving gearing.

Fig. 6 is a cross section on line 6-.-6 in Fig. 4.

Briefly described, the present invention comprises .a cylindricalhousing that may be disposed horizontally, or substantially in ahorizontal position, and rotated. This housing is equipped interiorlyalong its walls with spaced, longitudi-' nally extending ribs orflanges, whereby the sand in a placer operation, or pulverized materialin a milling operation, delivered into one end of the rotating housing,will be caused to be turned and rolled in its passage to the oppositedischarge end of the housing. Supported within the housing, lengthwisethereof, by a removable frame construction, are quickened plates againstwhich the moving material is caused to contact in its pas sage throughthe housing as it is rolled over and over and Washed through themachine. The spider which supports the quickened plates may be loosenedand then bodily removed'from the housing for cleaning the gold from theplates.

1 Referring more in detail to the drawings- The cylindrical drum,designated in its entirety by reference numeral I and constituting whatis referred to as the housing of the amalgamator, is supportedhorizontally, orslightly inclined downwardly from its receiving to itsdis- 3 and 3', forming a rigid and substantial base. Fixedupon the baseframe at its cornersare grooved rollers 4 mounted by housings 5andar--'of bolts 21.

a driving ring gear I0 is fixed concentrically to the disk I and thisgear is driven by a pinion supported in mesh therewith on a drivingshaft I2, which shaft is revolubly contained in a mounting bearing l3.The shaft may be rotat ably driven by any suitable means, such as by adriven belt operating over-a belt pulley .|4 fixed thereon.

In Fig. 4, it will be noted that the end disk 1 I which closes thereceiving end of the housing, has a circular, concentric opening l5 overwhich a collar I6 is fitted. Thecollar is secured by bolts that. areextended therethrough and through the disk, and having wing nutsthreaded onto theirouter ends. The collar provides a central opening |8into the housing about which opening is an inwardly extending and inwardly. flared conical flange |9.

The disk 8 that closes the outlet end of the housing likewise has arelatively large central opening 20, and over this is fitted aclosureplate 2| secured by bolts 24 and wing nuts 24', and having a largecentral opening 22 from which extends an outwardly flared dischargespout 23.

Extending lengthwise of the housing at equally spaced apart intervals,are ribs 25, here shown to be six in number. These are fixed at theirends to the annular disks] and 8 bymeans The spaces between adjacentribs are closed by wall plates 2|, as seen best in Fig.

6, and these are secured by bolts 28 extended through their edges andthreaded into shoulders projecting laterally from theopposite sides ofthe ribs.

In the use of the device, it is understood that a certain amount ofmercury is allowed to run free in the drum, and in order that theinterior of the housing may notbe acted upon by this mercury, the plates2| are vulcanized on their inside stu'faces with a layer of rubber 29.

The longitudinal ribs 25 are relatively thin and extend a substantial.distance toward the central axis of .the. drum andthereby operate asbaffles whereby, incident to rotation of the drum, the

sand or milled material passed through the device will be caused to berolledand turned, over and over, incident to the rotation.

The bafiie forming portions of the several ribs 25 are recessed, or, cutawayfor a spaced interval at the receiving end of the machine, as willbe noted in Fig. 4 so as to leave a clear annularv space within the drumadjacent the plate 1 for a better distribution of sand, as received, tothe spaces between the various ribs; itbeing underastood thatin ,use ofthe device, the material to be treated is delivered with a flow of waterinto the machine through the opening l8 from a pipe or the like, asdesignated at 35.

Supported longitudinally and axially Within the housing is-a shaft 40.This isrigidly supported at its opposite ends =by'spider, frames 4| and42,,

the radial legs of which-are grooved to slidably receive therein theinner edges of certain ribs of the housing and set screws are threadedper and is plated with silver.

into the ends of the spider arms to engage with the ribs to retain theframe at a set position.

Supported on the shaft 40, just within each of the spider frames 4| and42, are plate supporting spiders and 5|, each having a plurality ofradial arms, corresponding in number and extending into the spacesbetween the longitudinal ribs, as observed in Fig. 6, corresponding armsof the spider frames 50 and 5|, at opposite ends of the frame, supportthe quickened baffle plates 50. These plates, as observed by referenceto Fig. 6, are disposed in planes radial of the longit'udinal axis ofthe machine and extend from the central shaft into close, spacedproximity along their outer longitudinal edges to the side walls of thehousing. Each plate is made of cop- These plates are what are referredto as quickened plates. The core shaft 40 which supports the quickenedplates, as Well as the baffles formed by the longitudinal ribs .25, areof aluminum.

It will be noted also by reference to Fig. 4, that a conical closurepiece 62 is fixed coaxially of the spout 23 with its base engagedagainst the spider arms 4|, leaving an annular outlet 53 into the spout.The cone is supported in place by three equally spaced plates 64 fixedin the spout 23 in planes axially radial thereof. Also, an annularflange 10 is fixed just within the mouth of the spout 23 to catch anyfree mercury.

Each of the plates has a bar or rib 65 fixed to its outer longitudinaledge, and the ends of the bar are adapted to dove-tail into slots 66 inthe ends of the arms of spiders 50 and 5|, and are held in place bybolts 61 extended through the dovetailed parts.

Assuming the device to be so constructed, and properly charged withmercury, and assuming it to be designed to receive material, such assluiced sand or crushed ore, into its receiving end, it is apparent thatwith the drum in rotation, this material, as washed through, will becaused to be turned over and over byv the bafiies and thrown time aftertime into contact with the quickened plates 60. This action not onlybrings all of the solid material against the plates, but it effectsan'automatic cleaning of the latter to keep them from fouling.Furthermore, the action of the machine which throws the material intoconstant contact, has an abrasive effect thereon which removes theoxidizing coating that may collect on particles of free gold.

When it becomes desirable to clean the quickened plates 60for theremoval of gold, the set screws 45 are loosened. The collar 2| isremoved fromthemachine, and then the entire frame, with the platestherein, is bodily moved endwise from the dischargeend of the machine,as indicated in Fig. 1. The plates 60 may then be removed from theirsupporting spiders .by removal of bolts 51 and cleaned, then replaced,and

rotation of the drum. This will be understood.

by reference to Fig. 6 wherein the drum is rotating clockwise and aclose adjustment of plates to the baiiles .is indicated in dotted lines.

This machine is relatively inexpensive to construct, is readily portableand can be'driven by use of a one-horsepower motor.

By the present means, a method of forcing all solid matter into directcontact with the amalgamating machines has been employed wherebyrecovery of gold reaches high percentages not possible in ordinaryamalgamators.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. An amalgamator comprising arotary, cylindrical drum provided'at its opposite ends with receivingand discharge openings, and supported in position for turnover ofmaterial in its delivery through the drum, and quickened platessupported in the drum in planes radial thereof and spaced from the wallsof the drum to recurrently receive the material thereagainst.

2. An amalgamator comprising a rotary, oylindrical drum provided at itsopposite ends with receiving and discharge openings, and supported inposition for turnover of material in its delivery through the drum, andquickened plates supported in the drum in planes radial thereof andspaced inwardly from the walls thereof to recurrently receive thematerial thereagainst, and means mounting said plates and bodilyremovable from the drum.

3. An amalgamator comprising a rotary drum, provided at its oppositeends respectively with receiving and discharge openings, means in thedrum to provide for a recurrent lifting and down pouring of material inits passage through the drum, and quickened plates supported in the drumlengthwise thereof and spaced from the walls of the drum toreceive thematerial thereagainst.

4. An amalgamator comprising a rotary, cylindrical drum provided at itsopposite ends respectively with receiving and discharge openings,spaced, longitudinal means in the drum for effecting a recurrentturnover of material in its travel through the rotating drum, a framesupported in the drum and adapted for removal therefrom, and quickenedplates supported by said frame in planes radial of the drum and betweenthe spaced means for receiving the material thereagainst from thebaffles.

5. An amalgamator comprising a rotary, cylindrical drum, provided at itsopposite ends, respectively, with receiving and discharge openings, aplurality of spaced, longitudinal bafiies in the drum extending inwardlyfrom its side walls as means for efiecting a recurrent turnover ofmaterial in its travel through the rotating drum, a frame supported inthe drum from said baflies and slidable on the baffies into and from thedrum through one end opening thereof, means for securing the frame infunctional position in the drum, a plurality of quickened plates mountedin the frame in planes radial of the drum between adjacent baffles toreceive the material thereagainst from the bafiles.

of spiders mounted on the shaft and having radial arms, and quickenedplates mounted at their opposite ends in corresponding arms of the lastmentioned spiders whereby the plates are supported for receiving thematerial thereagainst.

"I. An amalgamator comprising 'a rotary cylindrical drum havingreceiving and discharge openings at its opposite ends, respectively, andsupported for a horizontal travel of material therethrough, bafilesextended lengthwise of the drum and radially inwardly from its sidewalls, a frame supported within the drum and rotatable therewith, andquickened plates mounted by the frame and extended lengthwise of andspaced inwardly from the drum intermediate the baffles, and means foradjusting the frame to vary the spacing between the plates and bafiles.

8. A device as in claim 6, wherein the arms of the first mentionedspiders are grooved at their ends for receiving the edges of thebaffles, and are slidable along the baflles as trackways into and fromthe drum, with means associated with said spiders for engaging thebaflies to lock the plate supporting frame in place in the drum.

9. A device as in claim 6, wherein the second set of spiders isrotatable on the shaft for adjusting'the position of the quickenedplates relative to the baffles.

10. A device as in claim 6, wherein the quickened plates are removablymounted by their supporting arms.

11. An amalgamator comprising a horizontally disposed rotary drum, meansfor rotating the drum; said drum having closure plates at its 0ppositeends provided with concentric openings for receiving and discharge ofmaterial, baffles in the drum, lengthwise thereof and spaced apart, andextending inwardly from its side walls; said baliies terminating shortof the end plate at the receiving end of the drum, and quickened platessupported in the drum and inwardly spaced from the outer walls of thedrum, between the baffles; to receive material thereagainst from thebaffles.

12. A device as in claim 11, wherein the quickened plates are disposedin planes radial of the drum and extend from the axis outwardly betweenthe baflies with their outer edges spaced from the side walls of thedrum.

HARRY W. MOIR.

